DOL forcing media to use government computers [Mr. Transparency Controls Access]

Washington Examiner ^ | 4/13/12 | Mark Tapscott

[SoFloFreeper]

Unrest is simmering in some quarters of the Washington news universe regarding changes in the way the Department of Labor (DOL) manages its pre-release media “lockups” on sensitive data like weekly jobless benefits and unemployment.

For years, journalists participating in the lockups have shown up at DOL at the appointed time, then entered a limited-access area to receive the new data and prepare news stories for release as soon as official embargoes end...

[SoFloFreeper]

more from the article:

..."Delays will make it more difficult for independent analysts to understand the new data and could give White House and DOL political appointees more time to blunt the impact of the negative news resulting from the data."

And:

...The BLS has a spotless record of maintaining data integrity and insulation from political pressures to manipulate data content or release timing. Solis and Fillichio are said to be quietly resisting efforts in Congress to shift control of the lockups to BLS.

In other words, the regime is, in the middle of an election year, tightening and restricting media access to information.

[jiggyboy]

As any statistics on employment are hopelessly fraudulent — the adjustment of unemployment to the upside in all but one of the last fifty-plus weeks is only one glaring example of a statistical impossibility — restricting access to them in this minor way is IMO not a big issue at all.

[PapaBear3625]

Release the data to the Web on Saturday, 6pm. Markets don’t open til Monday, plenty of time for analysis and article writing.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

Such embargoes (lock ups) are critical. Information from labour statistics, government budgets, etc. can move markets in a big way. If an unethical journalist (redundant, I know) were to release information early — then whoever got it would have a huge advantage in financial markets.

BTW, plenty of market activity takes place outside of the official working hours of stock markets. In addition, between N. American, European, and Asian markets; speculators can trade 24/7.

[A.A. Cunningham]

forcing